Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-05-14
Pre-Exlstence,
BY HENRY o'NEILL

Il twas an afternoon of fog and siush
and hitter cold. Ny business led me
through Leicester square. | passed
Inn AIhampra Theater. and entered the
,.op OF dealer in foreign stamps.
.-.n, and other curiosities. On con-
..uJing my business with him, was
:. orr to depart, when man came in
ID he front door and passed me, as if
ont to enter by the door at the back
"i he shop leading to the private part
at The house. A lodger, | concluded.
Sc, turned gp the collar of my coat
I.,'vious ~ sallving forth into the fog.
IIefov, had crossed the threshold a
band was laid upon my arm. and a
- rich, aud eloquent voice said:
.pardan me, young sir. but we must
have met before. You are Critic"
confess felt no. only astonishment.
bat alarm at this address, and turned
pldeniv to see what manner OF a man
r II spoken to me. There was no ap-
Israuce Of insanity in that well-formed.
Intellectual face, with the most Ie-
msrkabIe pair of ewes Ihad ever seen.
The, seemed to look me through and
idroggh. aud to hold me, in spite of
myself, as the eyes of the Ancient
Aa,iner held the wedding guest.
You are mistaken, SIR | replied;
ii am not Critic. Ny name is Henry
ONeill. at your service" aud l TOOK
oii my csrd-case.
He waved away the card l offered
him little impatiently, l thought. as
he said:
''Alasi alas! that the bonds of the
flesh so bind down the majority OF man.
kind; but for these we should indeed be
as gods. My good sir. L knew you in
timately-let me see-ves. in Athens.
three hundred and thirty-tive years be-
fore the birth of Christ"
That had met madman had now
no doubt. | turned to the shopman.
who might have heard the converse
ton.
There was nothing to alarm me in
his face. He merely smiled serenely.
rs il the meeting with stranger who
claimed to know one over two thous-
and years ago was matter OF
every day occurrence.
The stranger, too, smiled when |
again looked at him. not as madman
would smile. but pItyingly. l fancied.
I'VE cannot converse here. my dear
friend, for ! must so call you. Will
you do me the favor to step up stairs
into my sitting. room, where | can ex-
plain how l know You and give you a
glimpse Of your former life. which
ought above all things to interest you
Without waiting for a reply, he OPEN
ed the door at the back of the shop.
and began To ascend a fight of stairs
winch gaslight in the passage reveal
cd turned TO the shopman and spoke
ma low agitated voice, for | was great
~ agitated by curiosity and doubt
is he little deranged?" l asked.
mo, sir" he replied, with stare of
surprise. why, every body knows
MIN; he is professor of languages In
r
knew him well by reputation. a
Sonoerful linguist, Grecian among
1reclans. an old Roman. an Assyrian.
an Egyptian. q decipherer of ancient
hierogiyphic inscriptions. | shall not
give ms real name at present. for it
Nouid oe breach of confidence, and
many persons might brand a clever
man mailman, as did on the first i'm
puise' followed him to his sitting
room on the first floor. 1t was comfor-
table, II not luxuriously, furnished. A
nre leaped and famed in the low, wide
crate, and the curtains were drawn
closely over the pair of windows.
WIN motion he invited me to he
seated. obeyed. and waited for NV
companion to speak. He had fixed his
eyes on the tire, and seemed TO FORGET
my presence. | studied his features
cioseiy-the straight nose. the we'll
SNAPPED, firm mouth, the flowing. silyerv
9eard. and the hair parted in the mid
Ole OF his head and falling on his coat
collar. As | gazed a wonderful sepsa-
uoh came over me. felt as if [ had
SnoWn that face always, as if it was
IN nHeo "a my memory with nv father
'nu mother, sister and BOTHER; as if. in
shorI had grown up with il before
m9 nnu sronnd me through all nv short
ne, LOT am scarcely TWENTY-FIVE. He
ooNeu up suddenly, and blushed.
Your old trick, Crito-bIushipg like
a school girl" NA0
or | stammered. ..vou eonfuse
s anu oewlider me. Many would believe
you were mad. but IL seem TO naye
augnt the infection. if it be madness.
III -. iaucied Just now that / had known
sou all my life
e., es yes; it could no. be otberv;se
whs., % ne said eagerly. "You know
A.wsa ra Iennyson saws Of this feeling:
ans nesn With dowucast eve. We "A 80
Ia INTO former life. or .es,n - O0>-
ToS,ap lar back into a co,s,,s'.S l.
II t oi mystical s;militYiu. eNni
Even tn 1,-S or hens, or stirs In mis- chair.
10 tAsf ~ oaoss .s wGxeth more and more.
All this bs,s sAAs, An this hath been heforp
..Srw wen, know not when ., where
IN ,I's S,' wa walter Scott was also a believer
Of "re.1 ne ,ast Of pre-existenee, All men
The is1al-men anins9 who have little Of
raa,e they feel IL TSs fvG iv9,rdai IN u. De oe1
passes through many ave inGlvlaIal n.;a a soni
.,.g aaa !: soai dies. alasI when h. !. use
s'-si is rinai.Si -. cd ,.,..,. nc YIN